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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. shower — to wash
  3. shower — rain
  4. ground — the earth
  5. can — a tin
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. net — after costs
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. net — for catching
  16. can — a tin
  17. foot — a measure
  18. pop — to visit
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. net — in sport
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pop — music
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. pop — soda

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com